Joining hands for our health

The value of collaboration and coordination has paid off in a big way for Ouachita Parish residents.

The YMCA of Northeast Louisiana has secured $2.4 million to create healthy living initiatives across Ouachita Parish through a new partnership called Ouachita Well.

The collaboration of local nonprofits and government agencies was recently awarded nearly $1 million as part of the Challenge for a Healthier Louisiana, a statewide challenge grant program pioneered by the Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana Foundation. The grant program, the first of its kind in Louisiana, aims to reduce Louisiana's rising obesity rate by providing support to innovative partnerships that promote healthy eating and active living.

YMCA Director Chris Pealer said the Ouachita Well group matched the grant award with $1.4 million in pledged support from its leading community partners, bringing the total impact to $2.4 million.

Leading agencies constituting the Ouachita Well collaboration are the YMCA, Ouachita Parish Police Jury, Ouachita Parish Schools and the cities of Monroe and West Monroe.

The project will develop a comprehensive program aimed at making changes to improve the health and lifestyles of Ouachita Parish residents, Pealer said.

To get the grant, Pealer said each of the partner agencies signed a letter of support for the project and pledged some form of matching funds, most of which are coming from existing efforts and grant-funded projects, such as improving recreational facilities, sidewalks and bike lanes.

The grant also will allow Ouachita Well to create new programs, such as adding after-school programs and developing access to healthy food options in all neighborhoods.

Christy Reeves, director of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Foundation, said the Ouachita Well project stood out among 49 total applicants for having the potential to impact the community on multiple levels.

"Ouachita Well is precisely the sort of transformational effort the Challenge Grant Program was designed for," Reeves said. "Combining the foundation's grant with support from other organizations, Ouachita Well is bringing local nonprofits together to make far-reaching changes that combat obesity and create healthier communities."

We're excited about the initiatives we expect to see coming from Ouachita Well. This type of partnership, maximizing resources, is the way to have a true and lasting impact on a serious issue facing our community.

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Joining hands for our health

The value of collaboration and coordination has paid off in a big way for Ouachita Parish residents.The YMCA of Northeast Louisiana has secured $2.4 million to create healthy living initiatives